Medicine Wheel

Life revolved around the circle of life—the four seasons, the four directions, four phases of life, the four sacred medicines, and so on. A child, springtime, new things, the color yellow and the east wind are all associated. A teen, summer, growing things, the color red and the southern direction are all associated. And so on. The four seasons predicated what resources were available and what we had to prepare in advance, where and how we would live. The four phases of life—baby, child, adult, and elder—dictated one’s role and activities.